Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-31
SOUTH FLORIDA.
Notes on Various Towns and Enter
prises in the Section.

prlSeS IN the SGctlOn.
ORLANDO, FLA, Jan. GA hasty trip
down South Florida TO Kisslmmee, Lake
land, Barlow, Fort Meade, Plant City,
ETC., gives the impression that this sec
tion is keeping we'll On in its accus omed
channel of progress and advancement.
Hotel men informed your correspondent
that while perhaps their individual hotel
hadn't had the number OF guests last sea-
son gave them, yet they feltsu the num-
Der in the State was greater than any pre-
vious season. There are now ten hotels
where there were, say three, last year,
and it follows that each hotel register
shows an apparent loss.
Real estate men generally say their in
quiries and sales are as large as ever.
kissImmae is shipping garden truck to
quite an extent just now, and the prices
realized are good.
Bartow's Board Of Trade is a stirring
one, and already its efforts in behalf Of
that busting place are bearing fruit.
Fort Meade is progressing well consid-
erlng the short time, comparatively, her
merits have been shown to the public. 1t
is fine section, with good fertile lands
and large and valuable groves. 1t will
doubtless improve greatly the coming
year. The post office will be moved soon
as Postmaster Stanley is TO put up nice
block for 1t, Several brick blocks will 60
up this spring,
Iron on the extension of the Florida
Railway and Navigation is now laid to
the WithlacOOchee, and it is graded to
within few miles of Plant City. Work
will be pushed on at once. Right-of- Way
Agent Pushnell and a contractor went
over the route to Tampa on Tuesday. 1t
ia said the contract tor the grading from
Plant City to Tampa is lets
The Orange Belt railway is to be pushed
forward to Point Pinellas at once. The
tiity-mile stretch from Oakland, its present
western terminus, TO Macon on the Penn
berton Ferry branch, is now partially con-
tracted for, and it is very probable that
Maj. McLain, of Sanford, one of the best
railroad contractors in the State, will
have the contract for the tiftv-two miles
between Macon and Tarpon Springs, and
also down to Point Pinellas, some fifty
miles more. This will open up fine Sec
ton Of country for immediate settlement.
An experiment is now being tried near
Davenport, southwest of Kissimmee, th at
will be watched with interest. A party
owning some 5000 acres of overlooked
prairie is seeking, by ditchlng, to render
it fit for cultivation. A canal, two miles
long is being cut, which is twelve feet
wide at the bottom. AS they have seven
I6tJ ldn W Lu6 mIiG IL BnOulu
drain the land well, especially as lateral
canals Will be dug throughout the tract.
AS all this would not add more than Toe.
to 81 per acre to the cost, and as swamp
land rs sold at Csc. to SOC. it can be
readily seen, that If successful, it will be
a profitable move.
The Tampa Board of Trade is wide
awake and enterprising. and alive to the
interests of their town. They recognize
The large circulation of the SAVANNAH
MORNING News and appreciate its
friendship for Florida and the ad-
vantages it offers by appointing and
paying a correspondent, whose duties
shall be to furnish the Tampa news once
a week or Oftener. These level-headed
business men recognize fully the value
of good and reliable newspaper, with a
large circulation, and show their faith by
their works.
President j. Z. Ingraham, OF the South
Florida railroad, returned home this
week.